Adventurers Wanted 2) The Horn of Moran (30 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Awakening

T
he next morning was full of mixed feelings for Alex and Sindar. The brownies made a great fuss over saying good-bye and wishing them good luck. None of the brownies would accept any kind of gift, laughing whenever Alex or Sindar offered. Alex thought it strange that the brownies would be so helpful and yet so unwilling to receive anything in return. He thought there was a good lesson in their ways, but he knew that few people would see it.

Tip led Alex and Sindar through the woods for most of the day, but there was little talk as they went along. Dozens of brownies accompanied them, and when the group stopped for the night, the brownies took care of setting up camp, and before long they were all sitting around the fire, eating.

After they had eaten, Sindar told a story about an adventure he had been on, but Alex wasn’t listening. His mind was already racing ahead, thinking of the dangers they might still have to face as they returned to Alusia. He had thought that finding the Horn would be the hardest part of the adventure, but now he worried that returning it to the rightful king might be harder still.

They continued walking all the next day, and as night was falling, they came to a large meadow. Alex and Sindar spotted their three friends lying in the soft grass at the edge of the meadow. They looked as if they were sound asleep, but otherwise quite normal.

“In the morning I will tell you how to wake them,” said Tip. “Then we will leave you, and you can wake your friends and go on your way.”

“Where is the road back across the frozen waste?” asked Sindar.

“If you leave this meadow at the far end, you will come across the road very soon,” Tip answered, pointing. “You might have trouble traveling through the frozen waste, but if you continue south, you will be safe enough.”

“You have been so kind to us, is there nothing we can do to repay you?” Alex asked once more.

“Oh, no,” said Tip in a serious tone. “You have already repaid us by letting us help you.”

“As you wish then,” said Alex with a bow.

“Now, come my friends,” said Tip. “One last feast before we part.”

Alex and Sindar followed Tip back to the campfire and the feast, leaving their friends to sleep. When they had finished feasting, Alex put on a bit of a show for his friends. He conjured several large weir lights and sent them rocketing into the night sky like fireworks. When the lights began to look like stars, he would have them burst into dozens of smaller lights that fell slowly, fading just before they touched the ground. The brownies were all delighted by Alex’s show and cheered and clapped well into the night.

“We will be tired in the morning if you don’t stop soon. Our friends have rested for months,” said Sindar. “If we do not rest, they may leave us behind on the frozen waste.”

Alex nodded, and sent one last light into the sky, which burst into a rain of gold and silver sparks as big as coins.

The next morning the brownies said their last good-byes to Alex and Sindar, still cheerful and as full of joy as always. When the last of the brownies disappeared into the woods, Tip turned to look at Alex and Sindar.

“Now, to wake your friends,” said Tip. “All that you need to do is sprinkle a little water on their faces, like a soft rain. They will wake up and remember everything up to the time they went to sleep on the mountain.”

“You have our thanks,” said Sindar, as he and Alex bowed to Tip.

Tip simply waved his hand at them, and then followed the other brownies into the woods, vanishing from sight.

Alex and Sindar took out some water and woke their friends from their long sleep.

“How did we get here?” Andy questioned, sitting up and looking around in confusion. “And where is Val?”

“What happened on the mountain?” Halfdan demanded, wiping his face.

“Did you find the Horn?” Bregnest asked in concern.

“We will explain everything,” said Sindar. “And yes, Alex has recovered the Horn of Moran.”

The story of how Alex and Sindar had gotten the company to the enchanted woods was a good one, but Halfdan continued to ask what they had been doing while stuck there. Bregnest was worried about how much time they had spent in the woods and kept asking how soon they would be able to move. It took some time for everything to be explained, and it was nearly midday before the entire story was told.

“So the evil was with Val?” Bregnest asked sadly.

“He carried it with him for a long time,” said Alex, choosing his words carefully. “He said something about having met the evil on his last adventure.”

“The fault is mine,” said Bregnest. “I asked him to join the company. It is my honor alone that will be touched by this.”

“Not so,” Sindar said. “You could not have known. The evil was well-hidden. Even I was fooled and blinded by it, and that is much harder to do than you may think.”

“Still, the choice was mine,” said Bregnest. “I have lost at least part of my honor.”

“Sindar is correct,” said Alex. “The evil fooled us all. It is darker and more clever than you can believe. Even I, a wizard, did not see it until it was almost too late.”

Bregnest nodded, but said nothing.

“It has all turned out well,” said Halfdan. “The evil was defeated, the treasure recovered, and our goal accomplished.”

“To blame yourself for this is foolish,” added Andy.

“I was leader,” said Bregnest. “I chose Val, and I alone must take the blame.”

“Enough,” said Alex in a stern tone that seemed to shock his friends. “Yes, Bregnest, you are the leader of this company, but there is no blame to be taken. This evil was far beyond your abilities to see, and I won’t hear any more about a loss of honor. The quest has been completed, or almost, and the honor for its success is yours. You may have chosen Val—but you chose the rest of us as well.”

Even Alex was surprised by his sudden outburst, but he felt that he’d said what needed to be said. Bregnest stopped talking about his loss of honor, and the others all looked at Alex in surprise.

“Now then,” Alex said in a softer tone. “We have a long march across the frozen waste and a treasure to divide. I think the treasure should wait until later, but for now, I will deliver the Horn of Moran to you, Bregnest, for safekeeping.”

Alex retrieved the Horn from his magic bag, and, bowing, he offered it to Bregnest. Bregnest seemed hesitant to take it, but after a moment, he accepted it from Alex with a low bow.

“The honor of the Horn’s recovery is yours, my friend,” replied Bregnest. “Though I will carry it as you ask.”

“I recovered it only because you chose me to come on this adventure,” said Alex. “So if my honor grows, so does yours.”

Bregnest nodded and after a moment, cleared his throat. “Alex is right, the treasure from the tower can wait until we have crossed the frozen waste,” he said, sounding like his old self.

Without any more talk they started off into the frozen waste. They all knew how long and hard their march would be, but there was little doubt about the success of their adventure.

As they made camp that first night, Alex retrieved Halfdan’s pot from his magic bag and held it out for his friend to take. “I almost forgot to give this back to you.”

Halfdan looked stunned and was unable to say anything for several seconds. “How?” he finally managed. “It was broken beyond repair.”

“I had time to study my magic over the winter while you were sleeping, and I found a way to repair it,” Alex answered.

Halfdan gently rubbed the iron pot, his eyes filled with wonder.

Alex was pleased that he could give Halfdan something so simple, yet which meant more to his friend than a pile of gold.

The days in the frozen waste passed slowly, and it wasn’t until early on the fourteenth day that they reached the centaurs’ woods.

Usel was waiting for them as they entered the woods, as if he had been expecting them. “We have seen fire on the frozen waste for many nights. We knew that this must mean your return.”

“Our young wizard has been practicing his craft,” replied Bregnest. “His abilities—”

“One of your company is missing,” Usel interrupted.

“Val was lost to evil,” said Bregnest, a dark look crossing his face. “Though it was an evil he chose and carried with him.”

“Then he alone can answer for it,” Usel observed, and without another word, turned and led the company into the woods.

When they reached the centaur village, they found that dozens of tables had been set up around a center table with an elaborate feast laid out for them. The centaurs all seemed much friendlier toward the company than they had been before, and this made Alex and his friends more relaxed as well.

As the feast was coming to an end, Usel asked Bregnest if the company was prepared to make their promised payment. Bregnest said that they were. While the company collected the silver and emeralds that Usel had requested, Usel joined his counselors at a separate table.

“You will each make payment for your own horse,” said Usel. “Though now that there is a horse without a rider, we will not hold you accountable for its care.”

“I will make the payment for the extra horse,” said Bregnest. “As leader of this company, it is my duty and honor to do so.”

“As you wish,” said Usel, bowing slightly.

Usel called each of the company forward in turn, and he and his counselors accepted the payments. The centaurs all bowed as payment was made and thanked each member of the company. Bregnest and the rest of them thanked the centaurs in turn for the excellent care their horses had received.

“I suppose you’ll want to go south as soon as possible,” said Usel.

“We would be honored to remain in your woods if time permitted,” said Bregnest. “But we have already been on this adventure longer than I thought we would be.”

“Then in the morning you shall depart. But tonight, will you share your story with us?”

“Gladly,” answered Bregnest.

That night Alex and his friends sat around a large fire with Usel and his counselors. Bregnest told most of their tale, though Sindar told the parts after the company had been attacked in front of the Tower of the Moon. Alex noticed that Usel had a strange look on his face when Sindar told about their stay in the enchanted woods, as though he heard more than was being said. Usel made no comments, however, and seemed to accept the story as Sindar told it.

Later that night, as his companions slept, Alex got up and walked away from their camp. He was troubled, thinking about Val and what had happened to him. He wanted to ask Bregnest if Val had an heir, but he didn’t want Bregnest to start blaming himself for Val’s evil again.

“Are you in need of something?” a voice questioned from the darkness.

“No, I am not,” said Alex, looking up at Usel. “I’m just restless and have too many thoughts to sleep.”

“I understand. You are concerned about your friend, Bregnest, and about the adventurer who was lost.”

“Yes, I am. Bregnest believes it is his fault that Val was lost.”

“But surely you have spoken to him about this. He cannot doubt your word that he is not to blame.”

“I don’t know,” Alex replied thoughtfully. “Perhaps he doesn’t doubt what we’ve said, or even really feel that he is to blame. But I know he feels that his honor has been damaged.”

“So it has,” said Usel in a kind and understanding voice. “For when any man does evil, it damages the honor of all.”

“True,” Alex agreed. “Bregnest, however, feels this loss of honor more keenly than the rest of us.”

“He is a man of deep feeling and thought. I think, in time, he will see that his honor has not been damaged greatly.”

“I hope so. He is a good man, and my friend.”

“You think a great deal of your friends,” Usel said softly. “Such friendship speaks well of a man, and may well increase the honor that he holds so dear.”

“You speak wisely, Usel. I wish we could remain with your people for a time. I would like to learn more of your wisdom.”

Usel nodded his head slowly, but did not reply. For a long time Alex and the centaur simply stood in the dark woods, gazing into the night sky. As the moon was sinking into the trees, Usel suggested that Alex get some sleep. Alex agreed even though he wasn’t tired. He thanked Usel for his kindness and quietly made his way back to his blankets.

In the morning, after they had eaten and said their good-byes to Usel and his people, their horses were brought to them. Shahree was eager to be on the road again, and she shook her head and stomped her hoof impatiently. Alex noticed that Val’s horse was with the others, and he wondered what would become of it.

“The horse is yours, Alex,” said Bregnest. “You defeated the evil, and the horse belongs to you now. Also, the treasure that Val offered you in the tower is yours to keep or give away as you please.”